Method and system for planning and running video-on-demand advertising

Abstract

A method and system for planning and running video-on-demand (VOD) advertising includes a planner for planning advertising campaigns and an ad selector for running selected advertisements from selected ones of the campaigns. The campaigns are associated with household demographic classifications, video content category categories, household geographic locations, and/or video viewing times. In response to a viewer requesting a video, the selector selects the campaigns corresponding to the demographic classification associated with the viewer, the content category of the requested video, the geographic location associated with the viewer, and/or the viewing time at which the requested video is viewed. The demographic classification is determined by using an identifier of the viewer's set-top-box. The selector may select the campaigns corresponding to the content categories of the requested video. The content categories are determined by using an identifier associated with the requested video.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
 selecting, from a plurality of sponsors associated with fractional sponsorships of a program, for a first geographic region, based on a first predetermined audience percentage corresponding to at least one first sponsor, and based on first demographic information corresponding to the first geographic region, the at least one first sponsor to sponsor the program; 
 selecting, from the plurality of sponsors, for a second geographic region, based on a second predetermined audience percentage corresponding to at least one second sponsor, and based on second demographic information corresponding to the second geographic region, the at least one second sponsor to sponsor the program; 
 generating, by a computing device, a first modified program comprising the program and at least one first content item associated with the at least one first sponsor; 
 generating, by the computing device, a second modified program comprising the program and at least one second content item associated with the at least one second sponsor; 
 sending, to a first computing device in the first geographic region, the first modified program; and 
 sending, to a second computing device in the second geographic region, the second modified program. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining, based on a unique identifier of the first computing device, the first geographic region. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining household information for a household associated with the first computing device, and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause selecting the at least one first sponsor further based on the household information. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining preference information for a user associated with the first computing device, and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause selecting the at least one first sponsor further based on the preference information. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining the first geographic region based on a ZIP+4 code associated with a user of the first computing device. 
 
     
     
       6. The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining, based on census block data corresponding to the first geographic region, the first demographic information. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining a priority of the at least one second sponsor, and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause selecting the at least one second sponsor further based on the priority. 
 
     
     
       8. An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
 select, from a plurality of sponsors associated with fractional sponsorships of a program, for a first geographic region, based on a first predetermined audience percentage corresponding to at least one first sponsor, and based on first demographic information corresponding to the first geographic region, the at least one first sponsor to sponsor the program; 
 select, from the plurality of sponsors, for a second geographic region, based on a second predetermined audience percentage corresponding to at least one second sponsor, and based on second demographic information corresponding to the second geographic region, the at least one second sponsor to sponsor the program; 
 generate a first modified program comprising the program and at least one first content item associated with the at least one first sponsor; 
 generate a second modified program comprising the program and at least one second content item associated with the at least one second sponsor; 
 send, to a first computing device in the first geographic region, the first modified program; and 
 send, to a second computing device in the second geographic region, the second modified program. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine, based on a unique identifier of the first computing device, the first geographic region. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine household information for a household associated with the first computing device, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to select the at least one first sponsor further based on the household information. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine preference information for a user associated with the first computing device, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to select the at least one first sponsor further based on the preference information. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine the first geographic region based on a ZIP+4 code associated with a user of the first computing device. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine, based on census block data corresponding to the first geographic region, the first demographic information. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine a priority of the at least one second sponsor, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to select the at least one second sponsor further based on the priority. 
 
     
     
       15. A system comprising:
 a first computing device; 
 a second computing device; and 
 a third computing device; 
 wherein the first computing device is configured to:
 select, from a plurality of sponsors associated with fractional sponsorships of a program, for a first geographic region, based on a first predetermined audience percentage corresponding to at least one first sponsor, and based on first demographic information corresponding to the first geographic region, the at least one first sponsor to sponsor the program; 
 select, from the plurality of sponsors, for a second geographic region, based on a second predetermined audience percentage corresponding to at least one second sponsor, and based on second demographic information corresponding to the second geographic region, the at least one second sponsor to sponsor the program; 
 generate a first modified program comprising the program and at least one first content item associated with the at least one first sponsor; 
 generate a second modified program comprising the program and at least one second content item associated with the at least one second sponsor; 
 send, to the second computing device in the first geographic region, the first modified program; and 
 send, to the third computing device in the second geographic region, the second modified program; and 
 
 wherein the second computing device is configured to:
 cause display of the first modified program. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein first computing device is further configured to:
 determine, based on a unique identifier of the second computing device, the first geographic region. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein first computing device is further configured to:
 determine household information for a household associated with the second computing device, and wherein the first computing device is configured to select the at least one first sponsor further based on the household information. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , wherein first computing device is further configured to:
 determine preference information for a user associated with the second computing device, and wherein the first computing device is configured to select the at least one first sponsor further based on the preference information. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 15 , wherein first computing device is further configured to:
 determine the first geographic region based on a ZIP+4 code associated with a user of the second computing device. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 15 , wherein first computing device is further configured to:
 determine, based on census block data corresponding to the first geographic region, the first demographic information. 
 
     
     
       21. An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
 determine a plurality of sponsors for a program, wherein each sponsor of the plurality of sponsors is associated with a fractional sponsorship of the program; 
 select, from the plurality of sponsors, for a first computing device of a plurality of computing devices, based on a first predetermined audience percentage corresponding to one or more first sponsors, and based on first demographic information corresponding to a first geographic region of the first computing device, the one or more first sponsors; 
 select, from the plurality of sponsors, for a second computing device of the plurality of computing devices, based on a second predetermined audience percentage corresponding to one or more different sponsors, and based on second demographic information corresponding to a second geographic region of the second computing device, the one or more different sponsors; 
 send, to the first computing device, a first modified program that comprises the program and first data associated with the one or more first sponsors; and 
 send, to the second computing device, a second modified program that comprises the program and second data associated with the one or more different sponsors. 
 
 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine, based on a unique identifier of the first computing device, the first geographic region. 
 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine household information for a household associated with the first computing device, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to select the one or more first sponsors further based on the household information. 
 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine preference information for a user associated with the first computing device, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to select the one or more first sponsors further based on the preference information. 
 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine the first geographic region based on a ZIP+4 code associated with a user of the first computing device. 
 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine, based on census block data corresponding to the first geographic region, the first demographic information. 
 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine a priority of the one or more first sponsors, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to select the one or more first sponsors further based on the priority. 
 
     
     
       28. An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: 
 receive a request for a program; 
 determine a plurality of sponsors, wherein each sponsor of the plurality of sponsors is associated with a fractional sponsorship of the program, and wherein each fractional sponsorship corresponds to a predetermined percentage of an audience for the program; 
 select, from the plurality of sponsors and based on demographic data associated with the request for the program, at least one sponsor to sponsor the program; 
 generate a modified program comprising the program and at least one content item associated with the at least one sponsor; and 
 transmit the modified program. 
 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine the demographic data, wherein the demographic data corresponds to a neighborhood associated with the request for the program, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to select the at least one sponsor based on the neighborhood. 
 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine a user associated with the request for the program; 
 determine a geographic location associated with the user; and 
 determine, based on the geographic location, the demographic data. 
 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 retrieve, based on the request for the program, the demographic data from a demographic database. 
 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to receive the request for the program from a first user device, and wherein the demographic data is associated with a user of the first user device. 
     
     
       33. The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine a requesting device identifier associated with the request for the program; 
 determine a geographic location associated with the requesting device identifier; and 
 determine, based on the geographic location, the demographic data. 
 
     
     
       34. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
 receiving a request for a program; 
 determining a plurality of sponsors, wherein each sponsor of the plurality of sponsors is associated with a fractional sponsorship of the program, and wherein each fractional sponsorship corresponds to a predetermined percentage of an audience for the program; 
 selecting, from the plurality of sponsors and based on demographic data associated with the request for the program, at least one sponsor to sponsor the program; 
 generating a modified program comprising the program and at least one content item associated with the at least one sponsor; and 
 transmitting the modified program. 
 
     
     
       35. The computer-readable media of  claim 34 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining the demographic data, wherein the demographic data corresponds to a neighborhood associated with the request for the program, and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause selecting the at least one sponsor based on the neighborhood. 
 
     
     
       36. The computer-readable media of  claim 34 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining a user associated with the request for the program; 
 determining a geographic location associated with the user; and 
 determining, based on the geographic location, the demographic data. 
 
     
     
       37. The computer-readable media of  claim 34 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 retrieving, based on the request for the program, the demographic data from a demographic database. 
 
     
     
       38. The computer-readable media of  claim 34 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause receiving the request for the program from a first user device, and wherein the demographic data is associated with a user of the first user device. 
     
     
       39. The computer-readable media of  claim 34 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining a requesting device identifier associated with the request for the program; 
 determining a geographic location associated with the requesting device identifier; and 
 determining, based on the geographic location, the demographic data.